Live with Joy Like the Shepherds

It’s the day after Christmas. This could be a quiet day or one filled with more holiday activities! No matter what your post-Christmas is like, it’s a time to rejoice in the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ! 

We can rejoice with the shepherds who received a message directly from heaven about Jesus’ birth. We, too, can experience the joy and wonder experienced by the shepherds and the Christmas message they received. 

The Angel's Announcement to Shepherds

We read about the angel's announcement to the shepherds in Luke 2:8-20. The shepherds were out in the fields with their flocks like they often were. It seemed like a typical night, with nothing out of the ordinary happening. Then suddenly, a glorious angel of God stood before them. Imagine how the shepherds must have felt. Luke says the shepherds were "greatly afraid." 

However, the angel told the shepherds not to be afraid and then told them about Christ's birth. The angel also explained where they could find the baby. After this, a host of angels praised God and said, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!" (Luke 2:14 NKJV). 

When the angels left, the shepherds decided they needed to go to Bethlehem to find the Savior. The Scriptures say that they “made haste” or quickly went to the town and found Mary, Joseph, and the baby in the manger, just as the angel had told them. 

Just imagine all of this happening to the shepherds! The night started off normal enough, but all of a sudden, things changed in the twinkling of an eye. Once the shepherds found Baby Jesus, they told everyone about everything they had seen and heard. They were overwhelmed and excited with this great news! 

The angel’s message was not meant only for the shepherds. It was meant for all people around the world. This was a message that still resounds so many centuries later! God had sent the promised Messiah! What could be more joyous? 

Why Shepherds Chosen to Spread the Joyous News

The Bible doesn’t tell us why shepherds were the first to receive the Good News of the Savior’s birth. In those days, shepherding was considered lowly work, with shepherds living a nomadic, hard life in the open fields. The work was grueling and dangerous. 

The shepherds in Luke 2 were out in the fields with their flocks at night. These men were not sleeping, but standing guard. They had to stay awake all night to keep thieves and predators from taking their sheep. Not only that, but the men's only weapons were shepherd staves and rocks. We're talking about a tough life. 

Yet, God sent the angels to share the message of Jesus’ birth with the shepherds. He didn’t have the angels visit the chief priest or others in high positions. The Jewish religious leaders at that time were highly religious people. They were more focused on laws and rituals instead of a relationship with the Living God. But these leaders, like the rest of Israel, were waiting for the Messiah. 

The religious leaders may have fully expected God to reveal Himself and His messages to them. Why? They believed they were better than anyone else and were faithful in fulfilling God's laws and commandments. In other words, the religious leaders thought they were much more important than others. 

So, maybe God chose to share the Good News of Christ’s birth with lowly shepherds rather than religious leaders. The shepherds were humble men, watchful, and ready to do any work set before them. You can bet these men didn’t expect an entire host of angels to visit them with such an extraordinary message! This may be why they were chosen over more important men. The shepherds on that night were in awe and wondered at this great message from the angels. 

Similarities Between the Humble Shepherds & Christ

The shepherds were lowly, humble men who lived as Jesus would live His life and conduct His ministry. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, arrived as a humble baby to poor parents. He was not born in a palace; instead, Christ was born in a humble stable. 

Jesus was also called the Good Shepherd (John 10:14). Like the shepherds in the field, Jesus watches over us every moment of our lives. He protects us and provides for each of us every day, just like the shepherds provided and watched over their sheep. 

The shepherds were quick to act on the night Jesus was born. They consulted with one another and decided to head to Bethlehem. Notice what the Bible says, “And they came with haste and found Mary, Joseph, and the Baby lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:16 NKJV). The shepherds didn’t loiter around trying to decide what to do. These men quickly went to Bethlehem to find the Christ Child. They had no doubts about Who they would find—these men knew they would see the Baby Jesus, our Savior. 

The First Evangelists

Once the shepherds found Christ, Mary, and Joseph, they returned to the fields. But on the way, they told everyone they saw about all the wonderful things they had seen and experienced. They told everyone about seeing the Messiah, the angels, and hearing God’s message. Everyone was amazed by their news! All the way back to the fields, these men were praising and glorifying God for sending the promised Messiah. They were very happy—their Savior (and ours) had finally come!  

God’s Good News

The angel announces the birth of Jesus to shepherds in the field rather than sending this message to the elite religious leaders of the day. In this way, God showed that His Son was for those who were lowly and humble. The shepherds were the first to hear this wonderful news and witness the newborn Messiah. By choosing the shepherds, God showed that His grace and salvation are available to all, no matter their social status. Anyone who humbly receives Jesus as their Savior receives God’s love and eternal life. 

Jesus’ ministry often uplifted the humble and marginalized, and His work continues to this day. The birth of Jesus is good news for everyone. The angels’ message is one of hope for all people through the ages. Christ’s birth was not limited to a select few at a specific time but is available for all who receive Him throughout time. 

Jesus was born to save you and me—no matter who we are or where we've been. He comes to offer forgiveness, healing, and eternal life. He comes to restore our relationship with God, our Father. The birth of our Lord invites us all into the joy of salvation, just as the angels proclaimed on that holy night. 

Living the Joy of Christ’s Birth Everyday

After the decorations are packed away and the celebrations are finished, the joy of Christ’s birth remains. We are called to live in this joy every day, not only at Christmas. The angels’ announcement continues to resonate in our hearts, “...I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people!” (Luke 2:10 NKJV). This joy is not only a seasonal emotion but an eternal reality because Jesus, the Savior of the world, has come. 

So, as we move beyond Christmas and into the New Year, let us continue to rejoice in the Savior’s birth. Let the joy and peace He brings to the world fill our hearts, just as it filled the hearts of the shepherds so long ago. And like them, may we eagerly share the good news of Jesus with everyone around us! 

God bless,

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